It was to have been the week of Edgar Awards festivities to celebrate that anniversary with parties around New York City at bookstores, restaurants and apartments, a terrific symposium to discuss genre trends and culminating with the banquet to honor the books, short stories and films nominated for the Edgar.

That was the plan.

But as we all know, the pandemic has forced the cancellation of many high-profile events, forcing traditions to be put aside—or revised—as we concentrate on staying healthy and sheltering in place.

At the same Twitter address, MWA has been sharing videos of authors reading their nominated works.

I won’t say it’s almost like being there because nothing beats the excitement of being in the room where the Edgar Awards happen, of cheering on those who take home the statue, or hearing leaders of the genre discuss mysteries and being able to answer questions during the symposium.

But this is a terrific way to honor those works and authors, following the trend that countless other organizations are doing not only across the country but worldwide.

The tradition continues, just in another format.

And that is important.

“We've never not given out the awards, no matter what is going on in the world. And even though there is a global pandemic, honoring and recognizing our finalists and winners seems even more important than ever before,” said Greg Herren, Executive Vice President of Mystery Writers of America.

Naturally, the awards ceremony will be reformatted. “We're just doing a banner, not voice, on the individual awards category announcements,” said Herren.

As usual, the winners will be secret until announced, but we will get to hear from them. All the finalists were asked to record an acceptance speech, which will air after their category is announced.

Other Edgar traditions will continue

The "In Memoriam" will be put up on the MWA YouTube channel.

The Edgar Annual will still be published.

Plans for the symposium are, at present, on hold.

"We are exploring options right now on how to present the symposium; whether it will be done as a live on-line event will depend on whether we can find a way to do it with the high level of quality everyone expects from Mystery Writers of America. We can't mirror the actual in-person live dynamic of the usual symposium, but we want to come as close as possible," added Herren.

All these events will be available on the MWA YouTube Channel. MWA plans to have the videos on YouTube within an hour after all the honorees have been announced. Facebook will only be a link to the website and YouTube.

“I'm actually very pleased with how this is all turning out,” added Herren.

Mystery Scene also will post the winners here by noon on April 30.

And this shows when crisis arise, clever ways can be found to keep traditions going.

Stay healthy, everyone. And keep reading. The Edgar nominees are a great resource to update your reading list.

BEST FACT CRIMEThe Ghosts of Eden Park: The Bootleg King, the Women Who Pursued Him, and the Murder that Shocked Jazz-Age America, by Karen Abbott (Penguin Random House - Crown)The Less People Know About Us: A Mystery of Betrayal, Family Secrets, and Stolen Identity, by Axton Betz-Hamilton (Hachette Book Group – Grand Central Publishing)American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century, by Maureen Callahan (Penguin Random House - Viking)Norco '80: The True Story of the Most Spectacular Bank Robbery in American History, by Peter Houlahan (Counterpoint Press)Indecent Advances: A Hidden History of True Crime and Prejudice Before Stonewall, by James Polchin (Counterpoint Press)

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICALHitchcock and the Censors, by John Billheimer (University Press of Kentucky)Beyond the Thirty-Nine Steps: A Life of John Buchan, by Ursula Buchan (Bloomsbury Publishing)The Hooded Gunman: An Illustrated History of Collins Crime Club ,by John Curran (Collins Crime Club)Medieval Crime Fiction: A Critical Overview, by Anne McKendry (McFarland)The Mutual Admiration Society: How Dorothy L. Sayers and her Oxford Circle Remade the World for Women, by Mo Moulton (Hachette Book Group – Basic Books)

BEST SHORT STORY“Turistas," from Paque Tu Lo Sepas, by Hector Acosta (Down & Out Books)“One of These Nights," from Cutting Edge: New Stories of Mystery and Crimeby Women Writers, by Livia Llewellyn (Akashic Books)“The Passenger," from Sydney Noir, by Kirsten Tranter (Akashic Books)“Home at Last," from Die Behind the Wheel: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Steely Dan, by Sam Wiebe (Down & Out Books)“Brother’s Keeper," from Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, by Dave Zeltserman (Dell Magazine)